Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Defense Acquisition Reform
Abstract
The most important and urgent imperative for defense acquisition reform is the need to integrate major parts of the defense industrial base with the commercial industrial base. This is required to meet several objectives: To give DoD access to those technologies, products, and processes which are dominated by the commercial market place. Electronics, software, computer systems, telecommunications, and flexible manufacturing are example areas where commercial technology is far more advanced than military technology. To broaden the industrial base upon which the department depends. The current, essentially dedicated and thus isolated, base is eroding, is not attracting capital, is losing technology leadership, is not using the most advanced industrial practices, nor is it capable of the required surge capability for crisis response. To become more efficient--save money. Inefficiencies exist in all three segments of the acquisition process: program definition, program execution, and the defense industrial base. Acquisition emphasizing commercial practices will enable DoD to stretch its available resources significantly. How much money can be saved is not subject to precise calculation. The Task Force has examined many case studies and has reached the judgment that efficiencies in the order of tens of billions per year could be achieved after four or five years of determined reform. Finally, greater integration of the industrial base will make the large R & D and production resources of the DoD more readily available to the U.S. economy overall; to foster economic growth and industrial competitiveness.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA268734
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Science Board